In the middle of moving.

Hey guys it's been pure madness to say the least. Once this all done ill posting again. Be back in a week. 

LWATC Moving With a Toy Collector

Anybody that has ever moved will tell you moving sucks 200%.  Lets face it unless you move on a yearly basis chances are you have accumulated a lot stuff you don’t even know you still have or haven’t figured out why you kept it.  And FYI, good luck finding someone to help you move if you don’t live on the first floor.  Sorting, cleaning, organizing, and disposing of stuff is a process that takes some time when moving.

Before I meet my husband, moving was kind of a yearly to bi-yearly thing for me.  I would literally only buy necessities and would do my best to never buy anything I could not move by my self due to past experiences of moving everything alone.  At one point my apartment was so bare my friend joked that rooms is a 3rd world country had more stuff than I did because they at least had dirt and maybe a chicken or two running around. LOL

Well my bare apartment quickly changed when I meet my husband. He likes having furniture and places to display his stuff.  I don’t mind the furniture, but the size of his collection was so massive that  when he moved in to my little 600 square foot apartment  we literally had small pathways from front door, to kitchen, to bathroom, to bed. It was the first time that my OCD kicked in full strength.  It wasn't fun.  Luckily he agreed to put all his stuff in a storage unit until we could finish the lease and get a bigger place.  I’m sure this is a very common story for many collectors.

What are the Options

If you think about it ,as a collector there aren’t really many options when it comes to preserving a collection.

 Unless you are single millionaire playboy with a manssion chances are you have limited space, and are sharing your space with someone else (parents, spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, or children).  Depending on your income this can become tricky and leads you to one of the following options.

• Get a bigger place.
• Get a storage unit
• Spreading your collections at several different locations.
• Downsizing

Get a bigger place.

In a perfect world this make perfect sense, however it only works out if you have the income to support this.  Here in Tampa Florida, finding a place to live has become abnormally expensive in both the rental and the real estate market.  Unless you can qualify for income restricted areas you are looking at around $1 -$2 per square foot for an apartment and around $100 per sq foot for a house.  Sure you can find cheap apartments but when you have a fortune in toys do you really want to be in the ghetto and in  high theft area… I don’t think so. That’s not me being a snob... that’s just common sense in my book. And Yes, we are looking into moving away out of state in the future.

If you decide to get decent size living space chances are the cost is so high that you simply will have to quit collecting.  Now I have encountered many spouses that would be thrilled to stop their collectors from collecting but to me is not worth it if they are now miserable and everybody in that home is  “apartment poor” or  “house poor”.

This situation leaves most collectors either downsizing, spreading their collections in several locations, or simply getting a storage unit which is another added cost.

Storage Units

In theory, storage units do help clear up a lot of clutter and help keep the other members in your home happy, but they also have a downfall.  Mainly cost.  Let’s face it if you don’t place your collection in a climate control unit you might as well don’t expect to retain the value of your stuff.  Here in Florida it’s very very hot and is very very humid.  A horrible combination for a collection, especially for vintage pieces.

My main issue with storage units is the cost.  With so many people losing their homes, storage units have become high in demand.  My husband and I currently have a 10’ X  30’ storage unit costing us a whopping $190 per month (after insurance and taxes).  That is around $2300 for the year just to keep his collection stored away safely on top of the collection that we have at home.  That’s a lot of money.  I can even imagine some of our friends who have 2 to 3 units for their collections.  The cost adds up really quick and let’s face it many collectors are not wealthy to begin with.  One missed payment and you are 30 days away from seeing your entire collection in an episode of “Storage Wars”.  Trust me they don’t mess around with late payments.

Another problem that we encountered with Tom’s collection is how to simply store it in the unit.  Most collectors have either things in boxes that are crushed or torn, or have a lot of loose figures.  These are hard to stack.  Not to mentioned that even when you have found a way to stacked the stuff in the unit with out causing a toy avalanche, most people don’t noticed that climate control units have a water sprinkler system hovering over their stuff. So imagine having an entire collection mint in box or carded figures wiped away by one person acting stupid in the facility.  No insurance in the world can cover you for that much damage.  So here comes another added cost.  Totes and resealable bags can make your life easy but at $5 a pop per 18 gallon tote adds up.

It has taken us 2 years, but we finally have around 80% of his collection protected.  The larger pieces that are in the box are sealed inside larger trash bags and are watertight.  We could get larger totes but sadly the bigger the tote the more expensive they are.

Spreading your collection in several locations

We have encountered many friends that have very large and vast collections but they have it spread in several locations.  This could be in their own home, several storage units, friends, and family houses.  Yes you've read that right…. spread through several friends and family houses.  This might work for some but for me I simply couldn't sleep easy knowing that my stuff is in someone's house other than mine.  You might trust that one person but you can’t control who comes in and out of that person home, nor are you guaranteed that the person that you trusted will watch your stuff or will take care of it like you would.  Is just very risky in my opinion and just plain crazy.

Downsizing

Here’s what I call the final frontier. Meaning you have peaked because of lack of space, finances, or other reasons and must cut back.   Downsizing means different things to different people.  The two main translation of I've seen is a) the person is sorting and getting rid of stuff they no longer want or b) they are really cutting back to purchasing only very few lines they still enjoy.

For what I have observed many collectors have a hard time downsizing.  Many collectors collect because there’s an emotional attachment to a specific item or series they simply just adore.   So I can only imagine that after so many years going to comic conventions, shops, flea markets, storing and maintaining these items that all of the sudden they must let go due to an urgent matter.  It can be a horrible experience for them.  We've meet many collectors that have dissolved their collections due to spouses or partners and the relationship has taken a horrible down turn. No one really wins if there's no compromise between the parties.  That is fair.

Conclusion

There is not right or wrong way to move a collector, however it is good to take a moment and really think about your situation in regards of needs, resources, and ability to continue such a unique habit. If you take the time to really plan things out, even a big move can become and easy move.

As for Tom and I, we will be moving to a larger place this weekend, killing the storage unit but he will be downsizing some of his collection.  I even volunteered the master bedroom for him to enjoy his happy little kingdom.  I never asked him to downsize, he simply figures that it is time to downsize because he was becoming sick of towing around extra stuff he doesn't care for any more.  I can honestly say that it makes me very happy to have a new place to live in, but it also giving him the chance to enjoy and display his collection properly.  I get my computer space and he gets his Man Toy cave.  I can't complain.

LWATC Small Army of Shogun Warrios Found at Thrift Shop

** Thank you Raging Nerdgasm for allowing me to use their pictures, 

In the three years that I have been with my husband, it still blows my mind away how he has an impeccable timing when it comes to finding bargains with toys.  Granted while I’m still learning a lot from him, I often find myself still scratching my head when he pulls out a figure, purchases for a few cents and it’s worth a small fortune all because he has a really deep knowledge of his hobby.  To me is like magic to remember that much stuff it just blows my mind away.  Could you have imaging what would had happened if he would have used his mental data banks for science…we probably would had become a real Super Villain with giant Robots and Ray Guns.  Buahahaha… but luckily he just likes toys and working like most normal Joe's.

As magical as these bargains may seen to me, I know he spends a lot of times looking through the internet social media sites, message boards, craigslist, and eBay just to name a few sources to get these crazy bargains. But unlike other collectors I have notice the he has the ability to do two things: he doesn't buy everything he sees just because is from a toy line he kind of likes, and he saves up his cash for better pieces he really loves.  I've meet many collectors that simply can’t do these things and when
a great bargain comes around they are simply broke and have to walk away.

When I heard of this lot of Shogun Warriors I knew it was a really big deal for two main reason: my husband wanted to get up really early (he works graveyard shift normally) witch most of the time is unheard off unless they're a really good reason, and I saw that twinkle in his eyes when he really wants something. I’m like oh boy… and  I asked him “What’s the price?”  The ad stated $450 or best offer for 5 Jumbo Shogun Warrior in great condition, 1 Godzilla Jumbo Shogun Warrior, and 7 small die-cast Shogun Warrior.  I stated that is was a really good price considering that every time I see these Jumbo figures people want a small fortune for the ones that are in disrepair. By the time my husband had told me about the ad, he was already in contact with the dealer who had told him he’s had a several people call him but been offering him ridiculous offers of $250 and he was becoming annoyed with the situation.  We both agreed that at $450 was already a fair price but we would go check it out and go decided from there.

The next morning we were there early.  The shop had been opened and the seller immediately greeted us and recognized my husband and his courtesy.  I explored the thrifts store and it was full of your standard stuff, old mugs, tea sets, apparatus that have been outdated for some time and some that simply made you laugh due to their impracticality but the shop was clean and it was easy to navigate through. All of the sudden from the corner of my eye there they were on a glass counter between old clocks and other doodads and  the other half of the set where on top of a table near by because of their large size.

It was so unique to see them in between so many different nick nacks but it truly felt like finding treasure.  The vendor made the exchange very pleasant and even shared stories of others that had come the store and have left agitated because he would accept their low offer, fights with wives, fights with girlfriends you name it he saw it.  We agree that $400 plus tax was good.  And I even go a small $3 blocks Minnie Mouse for my self.  All in all when we left my husband was very happy and thank me for being cool about it.  The funny part is that after several stops at several shops my husband once again spent a small fortune and I spent just a few bucks.  C’est La Vi.

LWATC Toy Purchase Camouflage in Victoria Secret Bag

Yesterday I had a very long day of work and just like so many of us,  I simply wanted to come home,  take off my pants and have some dinner.  Now normally I come home to an empty home since my husband and I work opposite shifts but this night it was different, he was home.  Now we are both aware that both our birthdays are coming up soon along with our anniversary.  With that in mind you can imagine the look on my face when I see something completely unexpected and pink in our house.  I thought to myself “pink, he know I hate the color pink and being on the hefty side I don’t shop at Victoria Secret”.  At this point, I was too tired finding out what was in the bag and it wasn't top priority and I simply proceed to talk to my husband and started to relax for the evening.

Eventually I walked by the bag out of sheer curiosity to see what was in it. What do I see inside?  More Kaiju.  I’m like … OK… well  he’s still sorting to the giant tote of Kaiju that he got around two weeks ago… Whatever… So I simply do what most wives do, continue doing my thing and try to stay out my hubbies hobby for that evening.  It wasn't until later that night that my husband told me he had just received more Kaiju in the mail but for whatever reason it was sent to his moms house.  His mom only had a Victoria Secret bag to carry it all home.  While I don’t like to think about why his mom has a Victoria Secret bag it definitely answered two questions with one explanation.  It simply made me laugh.  My tall husky nerdy husband walking around with a big Pink Victoria Secret bag full of Kaiju.  I’m sure most people thought he was just a big pervert.  But hey He’s all I can say is “That’s my man”.

LWATC More "Bang" for your "Buck" with Knock Off's

NOTE: Thank you Raging Nerdgasm for allowing me to use some of your pictures.

Recently my husband and I went to Toy R Us and we found our selves like usual wandering up and down the aisles of the store searching for new arrivals.  Some of the product were great but others simply blew our minds away of how bad they were and how much they thought they could get for it. Like so many, I personally believe that many companies are really pushing the limits of their fans by placing outrageous prices on these figures hoping their fans will literally buy anything that is put in front of them. For many, the illusion is starting to fade quickly with the sticker shock you get when you go and pick up that one item you love so much and simply walk away empty handed.  Collectors are kind of use to crazy pricing for a good item but for a parent that just wants a toy for their kids this really starting to put a bad dent in their pocket books even if  they can afford it.  Think about it, if the family has one boy and one girl, they are looking at dropping around $20 for a Monster High Doll and  $15 for a wrestling figure, plus tax you are looking around $40 for two pieces of plastic.  Not sure about you but with cost of living being so high that seem like a lot.

What I find amusing is that the lower quality of toys are mainly found in the boys toys but not as much in the girls toys.  Yes there are knock offs brands for girls but even those don’t look as bad as some of the main brands for boys. Next time you go the toy store roam around in all the isles and you will see what I mean.  If you have feedback on this subject I would love to hear it. But moving on...

Comic Book Toys
Examples of a bad over saturated toy lines are Marvel and DC toy lines. Yes, we get it Disney and Time

Warner…  you are trying to make your money back on your big purchase but before you start making Avengers or Batman toilet paper you might want to really start investing some time into quality control.  Some of the toys look really bad like they would be part of a kids meal toy, they have poor sculpts , are made of cheaper plastic or they are poorly painted and it gives it the look of a bootleg figure that would be sold in a shady shop somewhere.  Yet some of the figures have a whopping price of $8 -$15 a pop.  For a collector, there’s really no value for them with these newer figures. I have literally seen my husband doing a toy review and in the middle of the review the figure breaks or is broken right out the package.  For parents this is just insane pricing.

Nostalgia Toys
Example of horrible sticker shock would be the New TMNT Classic Figures.  For whatever reason the toy company has a big set of brass balls in thinking that fans will pay as much for a new version reproduction as they would for a vintage one off from Ebay.  This reaction is not only shared by my husband and myself but also by many collectors that wanted to purchase the figures but simply stated that the price is way too steep for what they are getting.  Most people in their right mind would not pay $60-$100 for four action figures that are just cool but not high quality.  I have literally seen my husband and other collectors walk up the shelf where the repos are, have a big smile on their face for a moment, see the price, put it down and walk away.  That is sad.  It seem that most companies are simply not doing price point testing to see what people are comfortable paying for an item.  They are just slapping a high price and hope that enough people will bite.  To me this seems like poor business practices in the long run but hey that what comes with at "Collectible" market.


Just plain over done

Yes that is me and yes that is my husbands Burger King Roof Top Display promo from the Star Wars movie.

A toy like that has really lost it charm and is trying to make it back is the Star Wars line.  I mean good lord how many Darth Vaders do you need.  Unless you are collecting the vintage Star Wars figures, there’s really no value on most of the new stuff. Trust me if you are a flea market hunter like my husband and I you constantly see boxes full of episode 1, 2 , and 3 figures sold for $2 a pop still in the package. They are simply making too many of them and they don’t hold their value very well.

Now recently the company finally decided to go with what is known as the “Black Line”. They finally listened the fans and created a fully articulated 6 inch star wars figures.  They come in a sleek black case that reminds you of gourmet coffee or fancy perfume bottle, but at whopping price of $20 -$30 each depending where you are buying it from. So far we have only seen 3 figures in the set and they really don’t look that bad, however if my husband really wanted these figures he has to drop $60 -$90 for the set.  Just way too much.  Even he stated that he is way happier with his vintage set than dropping that kind of money for 3 new figures.  Heck for a little more money  he can finally get that star wars jackface he wants to complete his vintage collection or the 2 foot Metroplex that just come out.  NOW a Big COOL TOY!!!!



Knock Off’s
Since the price of toys have gone  up you would think that the quality of knock offs would go down. Wrong!!! What we are seeing is that you get more bang for your buck with knock offs that you do with the brand stuff.  Example GI Joes vs CORPS figures.  And average 3 ¼ inch GI Joe figure will cost you about $8-$10 each.  For the price of one GI Joe you can get two CORPS three packs with accessory like a motorcycle, a hand glider, etc.  I’m not sure about you but if I’m buying a toy for a kid trust me when I tell you the kid rather have 6 figures and 2 big accessories versus one measly GI Joe. The funny part is that when you look at the CORPS figures and compare it to the GI Joe’s figures you will notice that sometimes is literally almost the same mold but they change the colors on it and some of the head sculpts.  Unless your kid has been watching the old GI Joe show, they won't be able to tell the difference between a GI Joe brand figures and a CORPS knock off figures if they were all in a big pile. Unless your son or daughter is GI Joes collector, there’s really not reason to buy a $10 GI Joe for play time.


A store that has really been pushing the bang for the buck has been Toys R Us with their in store lines name True Heroes  or True Legend sets.  So far we have encountered amazing sets like Ture Legends Myth and Elf sets, True Heroes Western and Pirates set, Firefighters, Cops and lets not forget the Army sets that comes with 5 figures, a full truck, weapons, props, and even a missile that make noise for only $50.  The box is about the size of about a 30-40 gallon fish tank.  Many of the sets come with amazing props.  They are also great for someone who is learning how to make custom backgrounds, needs props for pictures, or learning how to sculpt on figures. The funny part is that most of the time they are literally the same quality as the main brands toys, comes with more stuff, and is a better value.



I know there’s a big price difference when it comes to the pricing of toys and that is the word “Collectible”.  Meaning if the figure you so loved wasn't loved by everybody else as well it would simply be another plastic knock off figure on the shelf. Supply and demand 101.

Thank you for reading


Toys R Us Line on flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragingnerdgasm/collections/72157633027690403/

CORPS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragingnerdgasm/sets/72157632814351765/